Page 86 of Forbidden Kilted Highlander

She met his eyes again. "Aye."

A breath passed. Hers or his, she couldn’t tell. It could have been both.

"Because o’ Caithness?"

"Because o’ everything."

Tav stepped closer. Her breath caught again. It felt like there was never enough air when he was close, like the room was built too small for both of them.

"Agnes, ye cannae tell me that kiss meant naething."

"It didnae," she whispered. "That’s the problem."

She turned away from him, toward the fire, her arms crossed tight. Her chest hurt. It physically hurt, like something inside her was trying to pull away from her ribs. Her breathing became short and shallow.

"I cannae dae this, Tav. I cannae keep lettin’ this grow between us when I already ken I cannae have it."

"Why nae?"

"Because I’m betrothed." Her voice cracked. "Because I gave me word. Because if I keep letting this go on, I’ll stop caring about what it costs."

Tav was silent for a moment. Then, "Dae ye care now?"

Agnes turned slowly. "O’ course I dae."

He stepped closer. Close enough that she could see the uneven breath in his chest.

"Then why dae I get the feelin' that yer afraid nae o’ the cost—but o’ how badly ye want it, regardless?"

That hit too close. Too sharply. She bit the inside of her cheek. "Dinnae make this about me weakness."

"It’s nae weakness," he said firmly. "It’s want. It’s love. It’s bein' human. Ye think I dinnae feel ashamed? Dinnae look at meself and think I’m nae enough fer ye? Because I dae. Every single moment that passes… I ken I’m nae good fer ye."

She stilled. Something cracked at the edges of her composure.

"I’ve spent me whole life feeling like I was just barely tolerated," Tav went on, voice thick now. "I was too loud, too angry, too soft where I should’ve been hard. I was never enough. And now, when I look at ye, I think maybe... maybe I could be. Fer ye. Only fer ye. Ye make me want tae be."

Her breath hitched. She took a step back but her heel hit the edge of the rug and she wavered. He caught her wrist.

"Agnes," he said, low and rough. "I dinnae want tae ruin yer life. I just... I want tae be worthy of it. If ye let me, I’ll spend the rest of me days trying."

Her eyes burned. She pulled her hand back. "It daesnae matter what we want."

"It daes."

"Tav—"

"Tell me ye dinnae want me. Tell me that, and I’ll leave. I swear it."

She opened her mouth. Closed it.

"Tell me," he said again, softer now.

She couldn’t. The air between them changed, grew thicker.

She could see every line of his face, the small scar near his temple, the way his jaw was clenched like he was holding himself back from something feral. The storm behind his eyes.

Her own breath was coming faster now.